Philadelphia’s Southeastern ­Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) received the Grand Champion Award for the highest combined score in the 2013 APTA International Bus Roadeo. SEPTA’s maintenance team of Joseph Miller, Eugene Bonner, and William Beirn placed first, while operator Zenon Rinylo took third place among drivers of 40-foot buses.

The roadeo competition was held May 5. Winners received recognition at a May 7 banquet during the APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference in Indianapolis.

Two drivers for Ben Franklin Transit, Richland, WA, were honored in the operators’ competition: Gabriel Beliz, first place, 35-foot bus, and Daniel R. Schmidt, second place, 40-foot bus.

Second place among maintenance teams went to Patrick Courchaine, Frank Amparan, and Everette Booe, representing the Orange County Transportation Authority, Orange, CA. The Los Angeles Metro team of Joseph Acuna, William Heiller, and Watana Don Reiwtavee placed third.

Paul Klimesh of the Ames Transit Authority (CyRide), Ames, IA, took first place among operators of 40-foot buses. Among operators of 35-foot buses. In the 35-foot bus category, Julian Carranza Jr., Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority, placed second and ­Howard Yoder of the Central Ohio Transit Authority, Columbus, was third.

Bill Webb, Delaware Transit Corporation, won the Customer Service Challenge.

Competitors in this year’s Bus Roadeo represented 28 states and three Canadian provinces.

Representatives of SEPTA accepting the Grand Champion Award include operator Zenon Rinylo, third from left in the front row, and maintenance team members, front row from third from right, William Beirn, Joseph Miller, and Eugene Bonner. APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy is at far right in all roadeo winner photos. SEPTA General Manager Joseph Casey is eighth from left in the back row.